Republican Valley R. R. v. Linn

15 Neb. 234
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 15, 1883
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 15 Neb. 234 (Republican Valley R. R. v. Linn) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Republican Valley R. R. v. Linn, 15 Neb. 234 (Neb. 1883).

Opinion

Cobb, J.

In this case there are numerous errors assigned in the motion for a new trial and the petition in error which are not noticed in the brief of plaintiff in error. Those noticed in the brief only will be considered in this opinion.

The first point made is, “ that the court against the objections of plaintiff in error assumed and entertained jurisdiction in the case on the pretended appeal by defendant in ■error from the award of the commissioners.”

It appears from the record that the plaintiff in error made a special appearance in the court below and filed a ■motion to dismiss the appeal in said cause for the reason that no notice of appeal to said court had been served on it. But it does not appear that the attention of the court [236]*236was ever called to said motion or any order made thereon, so of course no exception to any ruling of the court thereon is presented for the consideration of this court. But the record brought here by plaintiff in error does show that an appeal was taken to the district court from the award of the commissioners by both parties,.and that in said court by consent of parties the two causes thus presented by said two appeals, to-wit, docket numbers 504 and 505, were consolidated. So that it was as much the appeal of plaintiff as of defendant in error that was tried, and whatever may be the law in regard to notice in such cases such objection cannot be considered here.

The second point made is upon the question of the proof of damages; and it is claimed that the witnesses were allowed to fix the amount of damages defendant in error was entitled to recover instead of leaving that duty to the jury after they were made acquainted with the facts. I do not understand the testimony to be open to the above objection. The following testimony is that which I understand to be particularly objected to under this head, the witness-S. L. Linn being upon his examination in chief:

41 Q. State the value of that land per acre at or just before it was appropriated for the right of way?

Defendant objects as incompetent. Overruled and exception noted.

A. Just about the time that line was run through wee were offered thirty dollars an acre.

Defendant objects, and move to strike out. Sustained.

42 Q. What was a fair market value?

A. I think it was more than that.

43 Q. After it was appropriated as a right of way what do you think that farm was worth ?

Defendant objects as incompetent. Objection sustained-Plaintiff excepts.

*******

45 Q. At that time what was the value of the land, at the time it was taken?

[237]*237Objected to as incompetent. Objection overruled. Defendant excepts.

A. You mean just what they took?

46 Q. Just what they took first.

A. Well, it was not worth any more than the rest only-the way they took it.

47 Q. By the court. How much an acre?

A. Fifty dollars an acre.

48 Q. By Mr. Humphrey. How much less is that ■farm worth by reason of their taking that right of way .through it?'

Defendant objects as incompetent. ’ Question withdrawn.

This witness was cross-examined by the counsel for the plaintiff in error, and finally as follows:

84 Q. I understand you to say you had been offered thirty dollars an acre for your farm ?

A. Just about the time the line was surveyed; I think .about the first of January.

85 Q. That included the buildings and improvements and everything?

A. It included everything there.

86 Q. How is it you say that the strip of right of way, which don’t interfere with the buildings, except causing the moving of the barn, how can you say that was worth fifty dollars an acre?

A. , I mean taking it out of the middle of the field. I am including the damage with the value of the land. That is, I mean it was worth that to take it out of the middle of the field.

87 Q. If the strip had been taken out of one side you would not have put it so high?

A. Oh, no.

Re-direct examination by Mr. Humphrey.

88 Q. Do you mean to say that the fifty dollars is all the damage to the property?

A. Oh, no, I don’t claim that.

[238]*238Defendant objects as incompetent. Overruled and exception.

89 Q,. Explain what you mean ?

A. If a man wanted to buy that much out of the middle of the farm fifty dollars an acre would not buy it; I don’t mean to say it was all the damage.

In the case of JR. JR. v. Whalen, 11 Neb., 587, this court,, in the opinion by the chief justice, say: “It is doubtless a, proper course to take the opinion of experts as to the value before it is affected by the location of the road. This done,, the testimony on the question of damages should be confined to those matters affecting the value proper to be considered, leaving the jury to draw their own inferences-therefrom unaffected by the judgment of others.”

I fail to see wherein the rule thus laid down has been violated in the case at bar. Numerous authorities are cited to the proposition that in an action of this kind a witness should not be allowed to give his opinion of the amount of' damage to plaintiff’s farm caused by the taking of the right of way for defendant’s railroad. But I know of no authority which goes the length of holding that a witness may not state that such taking is a damage to such farm or that he may not point out the various matters in respect to-which such damage may result.

After the testimony on the part of the defendant in error was closed, the plaintiff in error called witnesses on its behalf, among others J. P. Love. I transcribe a part of his-testimony:

242 Q,. Were you one of the commissioners that viewed this land?

A. Yes, sir.

i¡c 5jJ * * ifc

246 Q. Were you there in a wagon with the other-commissioners who viewed the land?

A. Yes. I was one of the commissioners.

247 Q. You may state whether Linn was there?

[239]*239A. Mr. Linn, the gentleman on the stand, was there.

248 Q,. He is the s.on of the plaintiff, Mrs. Linn?

A. I believe so.

248 Q. You may state, in your estimate, the injury to the place.

Objected to as immaterial. Sustained and exception.

250 Q,. You may state whether you observed how the-road cut the farm?

251 Q. I will ask you to state whether Linn presented to you or represented to you the fruit, hedge, and fencing, trees, orchard, etc., that had been destroyed by the location of the railroad ?

Plaintiff objects as immaterial. Objection sustained and', exception.

L. A. Stebbins, a witness for plaintiff in error, testified' that he was also one of the commissioners who assessed the-damages to the farm. His examination proceeds as follows:

268 Q.

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Bluebook (online)
15 Neb. 234, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/republican-valley-r-r-v-linn-neb-1883.